Joint

n. [ F. joint, fr. joindre, p. p. joint. See Join. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

1. The place or part where two things or parts are joined or united; the union of two or more smooth or even surfaces admitting of a close-fitting or junction; junction; as, a joint between two pieces of timber; a joint in a pipe. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. A joining of two things or parts so as to admit of motion; an articulation, whether movable or not; a hinge; as, the knee joint; a node or joint of a stem; a ball and socket joint. See Articulation. [ 1913 Webster ]

A scaly gauntlet now, with joints of steel,
Must glove this hand. Shak. [ 1913 Webster ]

To tear thee joint by joint. Milton. [ 1913 Webster ]

3. The part or space included between two joints, knots, nodes, or articulations; as, a joint of cane or of a grass stem; a joint of the leg. [ 1913 Webster ]

4. Any one of the large pieces of meat, as cut into portions by the butcher for roasting. [ 1913 Webster ]

5. (Geol.) A plane of fracture, or divisional plane, of a rock transverse to the stratification. [ 1913 Webster ]

6. (Arch.) The space between the adjacent surfaces of two bodies joined and held together, as by means of cement, mortar, etc.; as, a thin joint. [ 1913 Webster ]

7. The means whereby the meeting surfaces of pieces in a structure are secured together. [ 1913 Webster ]

8. [ Jag a notch. ] A projecting or retreating part in something; any irregularity of line or surface, as in a wall. [ Now Chiefly U. S. ] [ Webster 1913 Suppl. ]

9. (Theaters) A narrow piece of scenery used to join together two flats or wings of an interior setting. [ Webster 1913 Suppl. ]

10. a disreputable establishment, or a place of low resort, as for smoking opium; -- also used for a commercial establishment, implying a less than impeccable reputation, but often in jest; as, talking about a high-class joint is an oxymoron. [ Slang ] [ Webster 1913 Suppl. +PJC ]

11. a marijuana cigarette. [ Slang ] [ PJC ]

12. prison; -- used with “the”. [ Slang ] “ he spent five years in the joint.” [ PJC ]

Coursing joint (Masonry), the mortar joint between two courses of bricks or stones. --
Fish joint,
Miter joint,
Universal joint, etc. See under Fish, Miter, etc. --
Joint bolt, a bolt for fastening two pieces, as of wood, one endwise to the other, having a nut embedded in one of the pieces. --
Joint chair (Railroad), the chair that supports the ends of abutting rails. --
Joint coupling, a universal joint for coupling shafting. See under Universal. --
Joint hinge, a hinge having long leaves; a strap hinge. --
Joint splice, a reënforce at a joint, to sustain the parts in their true relation. --
Joint stool. (a) A stool consisting of jointed parts; a folding stool. Shak. (b) A block for supporting the end of a piece at a joint; a joint chair. --
Out of joint, out of place; dislocated, as when the head of a bone slips from its socket; hence, not working well together; disordered. “The time is out of joint.” Shak. [ 1913 Webster ]

v. i. To fit as if by joints; to coalesce as joints do; as, the stones joint, neatly. [ 1913 Webster ]

v. t. [ imp. & p. p. Jointed; p. pr. & vb. n. Jointing. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

1. To unite by a joint or joints; to fit together; to prepare so as to fit together; as, to joint boards. [ 1913 Webster ]

Pierced through the yielding planks of jointed wood. Pope. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. To join; to connect; to unite; to combine. [ 1913 Webster ]

Jointing their force 'gainst Caesar. Shak. [ 1913 Webster ]

3. To provide with a joint or joints; to articulate. [ 1913 Webster ]

The fingers are jointed together for motion. Ray. [ 1913 Webster ]

4. To separate the joints; of; to divide at the joint or joints; to disjoint; to cut up into joints, as meat. “He joints the neck.” Dryden. [ 1913 Webster ]

Quartering, jointing, seething, and roasting. Holland. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. Having joints; articulated; full of nodes; knotty; as, a jointed doll; jointed structure. “The jointed herbage.” J. Philips. -- Joint"ed*ly, adv. [1913 Webster]

n. 1. One who, or that which, joints. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. A plane for smoothing the surfaces of pieces which are to be accurately joined; especially: (a) The longest plane used by a joiner. (b) (Coopering) A long stationary plane, for planing the edges of barrel staves. [ 1913 Webster ]

3. (Masonry) (a) A bent piece of iron inserted to strengthen the joints of a wall. (b) A tool for pointing the joints in brickwork. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. (Bot.) A genus (Ephedra) of leafless shrubs, with the stems conspicuously jointed; -- called also shrubby horsetail. There are about thirty species, of which two or three are found from Texas to California. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. The act or process of making a joint; also, the joints thus produced. [ 1913 Webster ]

Jointing machine, a planing machine for wood used in furniture and piano factories, etc. --
Jointing plane. See Jointer, 2. --
Jointing rule (Masonry), a long straight rule, used by bricklayers for securing straight joints and faces. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. Without a joint; rigid; stiff. [ 1913 Webster ]